Airspace Link Enables First Real-World Medical Package Delivery Operations In Michigan

DETROIT, June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Airspace Link, a leading provider of digital drone safety infrastructure services, announced today the completion of a successful 10-day flight operation showcasing a real-world drone transportation program for the movement of critical medical items; the first of its kind in Southeast Michigan.

Armed with a Michigan Mobility Funding Grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, Airspace Link brought together drone operator MissionGO, Beaumont Health, and metropolitan Detroit community leaders to execute Michigan’s first real-world package delivery operations via UAS (Uncrewed Aircraft System or “drone”).

The Michigan Mobility Grant was awarded to Airspace Link with the ambition to establish a drone delivery network in southeast Michigan to transport urgently needed medical items safely and efficiently.  Airspace Link’s AirHub Platform was used to perform the initial community assessments, including air and ground data analysis, to understand optimal routes and use cases to identify ideal partners as first movers on the network.  

Airspace Link worked with Beaumont Health, a leading health care provider in southeast Michigan, who recognized the opportunity that drones will provide for improving patient health care by moving medical items more efficiently. MissionGO, a leader in drone delivery services, with experience transporting organs and other medical items, was selected to execute the real-world drone delivery services..

“This 10-day operation was just Phase I of what is promising to be an incredibly innovative future for Southeast Michigan and for UAS package deliveries as a whole,” says Scott Plank, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of MissionGO.

“Drones offer the benefit of expedited, on-demand, and contactless delivery. We are optimistic that drones could help us serve our patients,” Melanie Fisher, VP of supply chain operations for Beaumont Health, said. 

Airspace Link led the project, providing the digital infrastructure and data services required to enable the safe planning and execution of scalable drone delivery and logistics services in Michigan through their proprietary AirHub^®Platform.

“Participation with the city, county, and state will assist in driving successful end results, including economic growth and new, sustainable mobility options for residents and businesses over time.  We’re currently deployed in over ten communities throughout the state of Michigan and look forward to continuing to work together to propel Michigan forward as a leader in drone innovation” says Michael Healander, Co-Founder & CEO of Airspace Link.

The data collected from the 10 days of operations will include a transportation impact analysis, including an assessment of the opportunity to reduce carbon emissions and vehicle miles traveled as drone delivery operations scale. Ultimately, the data will be used to inform a model that the State of Michigan can use to help understand the tremendous impact that drones can have on the environment, the economy and, especially in this case, improved patient outcomes for healthcare providers when integrated at scale. The model can then be applied to any location in the State.

“We’re thrilled to see Airspace Link continuing to grow their business in Michigan while demonstrating how mobility technologies can play a vital role in improving quality of life and providing access to critical services such as health care,” said Charlie Tyson, Technology Activation Manager for the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification. “Michigan takes pride in being a state where high-tech mobility companies like Airspace Link can access the type of public support they need while pioneering an industry, creating jobs and accessing the type of venture capital funding they need to thrive.”

The final report and analysis will help companies and communities across Michigan and beyond, to better understand the viability and impact of safely integrating drone operations in their current workflows, enabling the environmental, economic, and societal benefits to be realized sooner.

Airspace Link’s vision is to create a world where the safe integration of drones fuels human progress, advancing social equity, the environment, and the economy. Founded in Detroit in 2018 by CEO Michael Healander, Airspace Link is one of the few FAA Approved UAS Service Suppliers of the Low Altitude Authorization & Notification Capability (LAANC). Airspace Link’s cloud-based platform, AirHub™, provides the digital infrastructure required to support the safe use of recreational and commercial drone use in communities at scale, supporting the growth of drone operations, drone service providers, drone manufacturers, package delivery, and air taxi deployment in the future. Learn more at www.airspacelink.com.

MissionGO is setting a new standard for next-generation transportation logistics. By leveraging uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), MissionGO delivers improved reliability, reduced costs, and increased transparency to benefit multiple sectors, including healthcare and critical infrastructure. MissionGO is a portfolio company within JSP Ventures. Learn more at www.missiongo.io.  

Press Contact

Casie Ocana, Casie.ocana@airspacelink.com 
Vice President, Marketing, Airspace Link

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SOURCE Airspace Link